Once voted the prettiest town in Ontario, Perth is dotted with specialty shops and restaurants, many in century-old stone buildings. Go for the boutiques, antiques, and good eats — all just an hour’s drive from the city.

Photo by Justin Van Leeuwen.

Backbeat Books & Music
6 Wilson St.
613-466-0663
Finally, a used-book store that doesn’t feel like a cramped closet. This cozy spot sells new and used books and vinyl. On one side, there’s a careful selection of new fiction and non-fiction titles (and a couch). Mosey over toward the cash to find high-end turntables and well-organized shelves of records, from vintage and re-releases to indie albums from rising stars like the Yeah Yeah Yeahs.